2014-02-25

China's Nervous Neighbors

China rejects Indian politician’s expansionism charge
China on Monday rejected remarks by Indian opposition leader Narendra Modi that it has an “expansionist mindset”, saying it has never grabbed the territory of another nation.

“I believe all of you can see that China has never waged a war of aggression to occupy any inch of land of other countries,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said at a regular briefing.

Modi, the prime ministerial candidate of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and favourite to win this year's polls, was speaking during an election rally on Saturday.

He warned China to shed its “expansionist mindset” as he toured the remote northeast Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh, an eastern stretch of the Himalayas that China claims as its own.

“The world has changed. An expansionist mindset will not be accepted. China will also have to do away with such a mindset,” Modi said.

“Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of India and will always remain so.

No power can snatch it away from us.”

Philippines says China 'fired water cannon' on Filipino fishermen
A Chinese vessel has fired a water cannon at Filipino fishermen near a disputed shoal in the South China Sea, a top Philippine official says.

Military chief Gen Emmanuel Bautista said the incident happened at the Scarborough Shoal on 27 January.

Chinese officials did not comment on the incident when questioned during a routine briefing, but re-asserted China's claim to the waters.

It is just the latest dispute over an area believed to be rich in resources.

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